<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Voyage [On Hiatus] by cococape</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595673">The Voyage [On Hiatus]</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cococape/pseuds/cococape'>cococape</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legerdemain AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>DreamSMP - Freeform, Fae &amp; Fairies, Fantasy, Gen, Gods, Hardcore, Hardcore Minecraft, Legerdemain, Maybe a bit sad?, On Hiatus, Ph1lza's hardcore series, Potential Spoilers, Short spinoff of my other work, The Festival, no romance here, sleepy bois inc - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:09:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cococape/pseuds/cococape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was supposed to be a simple plan.<br/>It didn't end up that way.</p><p>He lived in a world, chased by old memories and older gods.<br/>Pain dogged his every step. He could feel his past brush his sleeves.</p><p>They came from two different worlds. They should have never met. And yet.</p><p>[DreamSMP x Hardcore]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legerdemain AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>THIS HAS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN EXPLORED YET IN LEGERDEMAIN. IF YOU WANT TO NOT BE SPOILED FOR LEGERDEMAIN I HEAVILY SUGGEST YOU DO NOT READ THIS.</p><p>If you do like this story though, Legerdemain is like the prequel to this story, so go read that :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Techno, come on we gotta go!”</p><p>Arrows rained down on the three men, like a storm without water, like the sky cried fire. Behind them, they could hear the men of Manburg chasing after them, a war cry. In the distance, they could hear Schlatt laugh.</p><p>“We’re not bringing him with us.” Tommy growled, and for a beat, the cursed prince’s steps slowed.</p><p>“I don’t--” Wilbur sighed exasperated. “Techno! What are you doing? Come on!”</p><p>“Pogtopia is too far.” Techno pointed out hesitantly, easily catching up beside them. “You’ll both be dead before we even get there.”</p><p>“Even if you call on your evil gods, Technoblade?” The teen said bitterly.</p><p>“Look Tommy, I really regret killing your friend but you need to understand--”</p><p>“Can both of you just please <em>shut up</em>!” Wilbur said between gritted teeth, causing the boys to reluctantly go quiet with shame. But they weren’t the only ones to react to the demand.</p><p>Technoblade’s ears pricked, his muscles tensing in anticipation as the wind ceased to blow them back, as the grass seemed to freeze in place when they ran, as the water separating them and their home refused to even ripple.</p><p>The world went quiet at his command, waiting to see what he would say. Waiting to see what he would do.</p><p>“Uh, Wilbur?” Tommy laughed nervously, also sensing the change in the atmosphere.</p><p>“What?” He snapped, and even the stagnant air around them seemed to flinch at his venomous words.</p><p>“You might wanna… you might wanna reign it in a bit.”</p><p>“We’re not the only ones listening to what you’re saying.” Techno clarified, a hand already on his sword. But Wilbur could see his friend’s arm trembling, whatever strength the Blood god had given his friend now gone, dissipated along with the sparks of the fireworks. Whatever they did next, he knew that he could not count on the prince’s sharp tongue or agility to save them.</p><p>With a glance around at the grassy field, he gave a reluctant sigh, and said through gritted teeth a command that rang wholly true.</p><p>“<em>Slow them down. Give us time</em>.”</p><p>And the world responded to the call of his voice, the call of Fundy’s father, the call that was to it as a siren’s voice is to sailing men. Gusts of wind launched from the sky past the three desperate boys, becoming an impassable wall between them and the threats against them. Arrows soared back into their ranks with the same ferocity it left with, causing cries of alarm from the crowd. The people of Manburg fought to pass through as the three dove into a flooded cavern for safety, where he finally slid onto the ground in exhaustion and relief.</p><p>Pogtopia’s president glared daggers at Techno, silently observing the dregs of guilt that wracked his body -- the quiet trembles, the heavy heart, the cold sweat that trickled down his neck -- from the sudden entrance and exit of power from a body and mind that was not made to handle it.</p><p>Control of vast unimaginable power was not made for mortal men, Wilbur learned quickly. They were meant for Mobs. For Gods. And for the things that were stupid enough to make deals with them, that signed their humanity away in exchange for their desires and dreams.</p><p>“What’s our status?” He snapped, only seeing judgement in the beast’s eerily intelligent eyes.</p><p>“Well, you bought us time, but we’re losing it fast.”</p><p>“Tommy.” He turned to the boy, following the edge of the water daringly. “Where’s the closest tunnel?”</p><p>“Too far, Wilbur.”</p><p>“Alright, it’s settled then.” His laugh was almost one of a madman, as he stood on uneasy legs. Techno grabbed his arm.</p><p>“You don’t need to do this Wilbur.”</p><p>He gave a charismatic smile in return, tugging his arm away, ignoring the blood that stained his sleeves.</p><p>“You said it yourself Techno.” He said, making his way to the water. “We’re dead anyways.”</p><p>“You don’t even know if it’ll work.”</p><p>“Well, it doesn’t hurt to try, innit?”</p><p>He got on his knees, not minding the dampness of the water on his knees or how the rocks cut deep into his legs.</p><p>“Hello!” He said cheerfully, dipping an arm into the frigid dark water, feeling like an absolute idiot as he did so. “We’re kind of in a pickle right now, so would it be possible for you to give us passage to safety?”</p><p>The water dripped down from the ceiling, rippling the surface as a response.</p><p>“Uh, it doesn’t seem to be working.” Tommy commented helpfully with a laugh.</p><p>“Right, I got that.” He said with mild impatience, clearing his throat. “Get us somewhere safe.” He tried again, attempting to put force behind his words. He could feel the ground beginning to tremble underneath his feet, the cries of an army getting closer. Techno made a worried noise.</p><p>“Please?” Wilbur asked desperately, using the forbidden word of deals, yet still there was no response.</p><p>“Wilbur, they’re on us--” Techno warned, and the events, the situation, the panic, and the stress he felt all accumulated into a ball that made the musician practically screamed in frustration and terror.</p><p><em>“For fuck's sake, get us out of here</em> !<em>”</em></p><p>Wilbur sensed the water change in the way he didn’t notice in the wind, the currents and air swirling unseen under the surface. He felt something -- He could have sworn it was like a human hand -- grab his forearm, and with a startled cry and to the shock of his friends, he was dragged into the deep dark.</p><p>Techno snapped out of it first, rushing to the water and grabbing Tommy’s wrist, becoming the anchor that dragged them both down into the impossible pond Wilbur made, the water that had no bottom, no end.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The man’s eyes snapped open to a sound he’s never heard before, in all his years surviving alone. A large splash of something breaking the water’s surface from the inside, and… voices. Real voices, of strangers and others, and not the vague murmurs of the villagers who moved into his home, or the voices of his past whom he talked to in his head.</p><p>The voices were a surprise to him for they meant one of two things.</p><p>1. His deal had been broken,</p><p>Or 2. The gods were trying to fuck with him.</p><p>The quiet steps of the monsters creeping outside his doors paired with the terrified nonsense of the villagers huddling in the corner told the man it was probably midnight if not any later, as he strapped his shimmering sword to his side and grabbed his bow and quiver, putting his green and white striped hat on his head and stepped out his iron doors, greeting the sweet cold night air with a smile. If the monsters weren’t here to welcome him now, the smell of living flesh would have undoubtedly leaked his location. He only had a few minutes to investigate.</p><p>Oh, the gift of being alive.</p><p>In the distance, he saw a disturbance breaking the cold silence of the dark, causing the water to ripple in ways he’s never seen it before.</p><p>He could make out three objects bobbing up and down in the water. Their words were far enough to be nonsense to his ears.</p><p>For a moment, he considered leaving them there. The gods could go fuck themselves, playing with his life like he was a puppet in their story, building world after world for him to explore. All for his dumb mistake, for asking for their beck and call, for thinking that he himself could trick them, for thinking he was smarter.</p><p>
  <em>Phil…</em>
</p><p>But he knew she would never agree. He could see her in his mind’s eye, crossed armed and shaking her head, disappointed. He began to wonder about her as he prepared the rescue boats, tying them together with a lead. Did she still remember him? Did she still mourn?</p><p>He wondered if she was still alive, as he climbed into the boat and pushed off into the sea. He tried to imagine what their towns might look like as he rowed towards the three. Did they take his body with them? Buried him under the ground, planted a tree over his grave? Or did they leave his remains in the charred ruins of their home, the home that he destroyed?</p><p>“HELP!” A young adolescent boy’s voice shocked him out of his thoughts, as he began approaching close enough to see the intruders, their reflections almost glowing in the moonlight.</p><p>If he could think of a word to describe this group of boys, it would be “strange”.</p><p>The teen’s blond hair caught his attention first, sputtering sea water and thrashing, the energy he overexerted in keeping himself afloat causing the boat to rock dangerously.</p><p>“HELP! GET ME AWAY FROM THIS BITCH!” He screamed, the sound so loud it made him wince.</p><p>“Tommy…” The second voice sounded exasperated, and it startled Phil, because the voice was deep, the voice of a leader, of a man of power. But when he looked closer, things started to make sense. A man in the shape of a pig or boar -- he isn’t sure which, and it’s too dark to tell -- clutching the boy with one arm, and keeping them both afloat with the other.</p><p>The third… Phil nearly missed him, the trenchcoat weighing him down, as he just barely was able to stay afloat, sputtering and muttering. He could tell there was something about the man -- about the three of them -- that made them different, that made them no ordinary travellers that appeared in the middle of the sea and yet so luckily close to shore.</p><p>It was this third man that he offered a hand to when he was close enough to aid them, the third man who seemed the most startled by his arrival.</p><p>“Climb in!” He called to them, giving a hand to the beast and the child. Surrounded by the three, he felt suddenly like he was surrounded by another story, that perhaps it was he who had been forcefully interjected into their lives and not the other way around. The way that they stared at them in the dark -- as confused and bewildered as he felt -- made him tense. It was like entering a stranger’s house, where everything smelled different.</p><p>They were the strangers entering Phil’s home, and yet they brought with them the strong scent of the place they came from, clinging desperately to their skin and clothes, refusing to let go.</p><p>- - -</p><p>Phil saw them before the party heard it; a loud blood curdling shriek that echoed through the skies. The newcomers almost fell out as their blood ran cold, terror showing on their faces. It was only Phil who stayed calm, the face of a veteran who’s done this too many times to count.</p><p>“What in the fucking world was that?” The boy in the trenchcoat asked in alarm, but the man only pointed to the specks in the distance, getting ever larger the longer they watched.</p><p>“Those,” He said. “Are phantoms. They’re the curfew enforcers who noticed you three weren’t in your beds, so I suggest rowing as fast as you can to that house over there--” He pointed out the bright warm glow in the distance, an image so welcoming and warm compared to the situation the party had found themselves in. “--and making yourselves comfortable.”</p><p>“What about you?” The pig-man asked.</p><p>“Well, of course I gotta kill them.” Phil replied, slowly standing up in his boat, careful to keep it stable, to keep it from rocking.</p><p>“But- But that’s like a death wish!” The youngest boy laughed, and Phil smiled at the joke too, though for entirely different reasons.</p><p>“I think everyone has a death wish.” He drew his sword from his side, as a pair of black wings unfurled on his back, suppressing a laugh at the sound of the wood being knocked around behind him. He didn’t need to see their faces to know the shock and denial that played on their faces; He’s seen it so many times before.</p><p>Without a moment’s hesitation, he leapt out of the boat, his wings beating against all logic, pushing the air into the sea and forcing his body upwards, leaving the strangers open-mouthed and staring behind him.</p><p>As he circled the three sky demons, feeling the wind in his hair and the adrenaline loosening his limbs, he suppressed the urge to scream in joy. Partially to not attract any more of these monsters, but mostly so that his guests don’t get scared and run off into the wilderness unprotected.</p><p>The first phantom was cocky and dove first, its speed causing it to charge straight at the man, no signs of stopping.</p><p>It could not slow down as it saw Phil raise his sword. It didn’t have a chance to survive as the blade ran through its spine with an audible and horrifying crack, as black began to seep out of its body and down into the water below. He let the body drop, before turning to the others with a grin.</p><p>Its brothers shrieked a cry of agony for their fallen brethren, but the survivor was beginning to grow impatient. As the second one dove, his sword came down in an arc, leaving the beast spiralling as it fell into the sea in two separate pieces.</p><p>The third took a different approach. Before Phil could react, it dove with an ear piercing scream towards the pair of boats, so close to land.</p><p>“Oh, shit.” His eyebrows rose in surprise, as he sheathed his blade and reached for his bow. “I guess one of them was intelligent after all.”</p><p>
  <em>Why’d you say that like you least expected it?</em>
</p><p>“Shut--!” He said with a laugh, loading the arrow. “You’re in my head! You’re not allowed to say that!”</p><p>One arrow to the head was all it took. He watched its last moments as the flying stingray went tumbling down, screaming in agony.</p><p>
  <em>And so… what? I’m not allowed to speak at all? Is that what you’re saying? I don’t get a say in what you do?</em>
</p><p>“You’re literally me!” He almost wanted to yell, but quickly lowered his voice as he approached the beach, dry sand sneaking its way into his sandals, under the soles of his feet, cold from the night air and the dark skies. His wings folded behind his back neatly, almost blending in with his robes as he made his way towards the building.</p><p>With a yawn, he entered his home sweet home, locking the door behind him--</p><p>And turned around with a sword pointed at his throat by the pig king, the two others standing behind with enough suspicion and intensity to make its mark in the room.</p><p>“What are you?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Techno didn’t really think this was how he was going to spend his day.</p><p>He had a very simple plan. Wake up. Attend a festival. Stage a coup and help Wilbur to assassinate the ram that had taken over his home. Go to sleep.</p><p>There was not supposed to be any divine intervention. He was supposed to be capable of handling it himself. </p><p>It was supposed to be Wilbur’s suicide mission.</p><p>He did not expect to be threatening a stranger at sword-point. Definitely did not expect to suddenly surface in the middle of the sea, in a world that felt different and wrong, surrounded by monsters he’s only heard of in books. </p><p>Ironically, the only thing that felt familiar was the same thing that they couldn’t find it in themselves to trust. The man that wasn’t a man. The man that saved the trio from drowning, and then flew into the air in order to spare their lives.</p><p>The man that made the air around him feel wrong.</p><p>“What are you?” Wilbur demanded behind him. “Are you a god? A mob? Are you the thing that dragged us here?”</p><p>“A god?” The stranger laughed. “I think I’m... flattered? But no, I’m not. Far from it actually. And I’m not exactly sure what you mean by mob…”</p><p>“So you’re mortal.” Techno said.</p><p>The man smiled, seemingly enjoying this interaction. “You could say that.”</p><p>“Wh-” Tommy countered, bewildered, trying to wiggle out of the heavy wet coat Wilbur had put on him in a poor attempt to keep him warm..”’right. Techno, he’s being all mysterious. Let’s kill him.”</p><p>“WOAH Woah woah.” Wilbur pushed the youngest back, as the warrior pushed his blade further. The man raised his hands with a nervous chuckle.</p><p>It took him a minute to realize where the issue lied, why he felt so uneasy and unsteady threatening the life of this stranger, who shouldn’t have been different from any other stranger in any other battle he’s been in before.</p><p>The issue didn’t lie in this unfamiliar world, or this winged man and his apologetic eyes. The issue lied in the silence. His demon that failed to whisper compulsions in his ear.</p><p>His God of Blood was rarely picky about the victims he took. If anything, it enjoyed the torment of watching the exiled prince squirm, liked the feeling of tugging at his strings and making him dance. But there were only a few reasons a creature like that would waver. It only lived by a small set of rules after all.</p><p>Its victims could not be fellow deities, or things that held the upper hand. And its victims couldn’t be god-touched, couldn’t have made a one sided contract, for taking those lives were simply a mercy.</p><p>The pig lowered his sword, much to the surprise of all parties involved.</p><p>“Techno,” Wilbur demanded. “What’re you--”</p><p>“Wilbur, he made a deal.” His deep voice made his words more ominous than he meant it to be. The stranger’s eyes lighting up at the word was enough confirmation. “He’s not one of Them.”</p><p>“No,” The man chuckled nervously. “I’m not whatever else you thought I was… I think?” He straightened his hat striped hat, so that the trio could clearly see his face now, friendly and curious more than malicious and full of ill intent. “My name’s Phil. I kinda just… live here. Saw you three out in the water, and you looked like you needed some help. Though,” He added pointedly. “If I knew you would threaten my life, I might have reconsidered.”</p><p>That didn’t sound like the whole story to Techno, and a look back at Wilbur showed that he felt the same.</p><p>“Enough about me for now though.” Phil continued, looking pointedly at Techno, who -- after a moment’s hesitation -- obliged his request and took a step aside, allowing him into his own home. He gripped tighter on his sword as he saw their host walk over to a chest and rummage around, and when the man turned and tossed something in their direction, the warrior’s muscles tensed.</p><p>Tommy was the one who caught it -- with a surprising grace that he didn’t expect out of the chaotic child -- and the pair crowded around to see what had been tossed to them.</p><p>It was a wrinkled green robe, nearly identical to the one he was wearing under his grey cloak. Two more were tossed to them, along with pants of the same shade, and the friends looked at each other, slightly bewildered and confused.</p><p>“Don’t really have a variety around here unfortunately.” Phil admitted sheepishly. “But if you want to change out into something warmer while you dry off your clothes, it’s either that or a leather tunic. At least with cloth, I think it’s comfortable. Lighter, even.”</p><p>“And what if we refuse?” Wilbur challenged, and the man bit back a laugh at his almost snobbish attitude.</p><p>“Wh- Well, be my guest. I’m not forcing you.” He shrugged, rummaging through the chest again and bringing out three big towels, handing one to each with care. “You just gotta note that the nights do get cold around here, so if you do, you’re going to catch a cold. But ultimately it is your choice. Now I’m going to go prepare you guys a few cots, and then I’m going to go get a fire going outside for your clothes, Alright? Don’t break anything while I’m gone.”</p><p>And with that, he had gone off, down to another part of the base, leaving the three reeling at the hospitality, the acceptance, and the invitation that none had experienced in a very long time.</p><p>Tommy was the first to move, and both Techno and Wilbur stared as he struggled out of the coat and began to change out of his shirt.</p><p>“What?” He asked, looking back at them both with a casual shrug. “I trust him.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>